Waist and supporter.



No. 722,472. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

' s. VISGHER.

WAIST AND SUPPORTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

'A TTORNE YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SOPHIE VISOHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WAIST AND SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 722,472, dated March 10, 1903. Application filed November 15, 1902. Serial No. 131,520. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SOPHIE VIsoHER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved ,Waist and Supporter, of which'the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to body-garments; and its object is to provide a new and improved waist and supporter for the bust, abdomen, and skirts which is simple and durable in construction, more especially designed to supplant the corset, and arranged to be supported solely from the shoulder-bones and hip-bones of the wearer, to leave the lungs, stomach, and other vital organs completely free of pressure, to prevent disfiguration of the wearers body and the well-known ill effects incident to the wearing of tight-fitting corsets, to strengthen the back of the wearer, and to provide means for supporting the skirts, hose-supporters, and the like.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed-out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a front perspective view of the improvement as applied. Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the same, and Fig. 3 is an outline view of the improvement as applied and indicating the supporting-bones for the garment.

The bodygarment presently to be described in detail is to be worn over the "undershirt or chemise, and it compries, essentially, a waist and a girdle, of which the former consists of back portions A A for covering the back of the wearer, (see Fig. 2,) and in the adjacent edges of the back portions and the girdle-bands are arranged stays B, extending along the spine of the wearer. The abutting edges of the back portions A A are connected with each other by a suitable lacing O, as plainly shown in Fig. 2.

From the back portions A A extend forwardly integral arm-gores D D under the arms of the wearer to terminate in front flaps F F, approximately triangular in shape and connected with each other by a suitable fastening device F such as a buttonand buttonhole or the like. In the front flaps F and F are formed pockets F and F for the reception of the wearers breasts, and the said front flaps F F are integrally connected by shoulder-straps E E with the rear portions A A, thus leaving armholes for the free passage of the wearers arms. I

On the lower ends of the back portions are integrally secured, by sewing or the like, the top edges. of wide hip and abdominal bands G G, having their rear ends connected with each other by a continuation of the lacing 0, and the said bands extend to the front of the wearers body and overlap, and the overlapping ends are fastened together by fastening devices H, such asbuttons and buttonholes. The overlapping end of the band G is provided with a depending flap G on which a hose-supporter I or other device may be fastened, as plainly indicated in Fig. 1. The bands G and G are so shaped that they extend from the back portions A A forwardly and slightly downwardly over the hips, to then extend farther forwardly and downwardly over the lower portion of the abdomen to properly support the same, and to leave the wearers body at the stomach and adj acent parts completely unobstructed and free of pressure. The bands G and G are provided at the sides directly over the hips with fastening devices J, such as buttons,and similar fastening devices J are located at the rear upper edges of the bands to permit of conveniently fastening skirts and other garments to the bands at the rear and hip portions thereof, so that the bands support such garments and insure proper hang thereof.

It will be seen that by the arrangement described all strain of the skirts and like garments is borne by the shoulder-bones and hipbones of the wearer, (see Fig. 3,) and the abdomen and also the breasts are properly supported.

It is understood that by attaching the bands G and G only at the rear to the back portions A A they can be readily made to flare downwardly and outwardly to conform to the shape of the wearers body at the hips, and at the same time a deep dip can be given to the bands at the front to bring the bands well under the abdomen to properly support the same. It is further understood that the joint between the bands G G and the back portions A A is at the natural waist-line of the wearers body, and the back portions extend upward from the waist-line, while the bands G G extend downward from thesame.

It is understood that the laced back portions A A, the arm-gores D D, front flaps F F, and shoulder-straps E E form the waist, while the bands G G form the abdominal girdle, supported from the waist at the back portions thereof. The front flaps F F and the free ends of the bands G G are disconnected when the wearer desires to put on the garment, -it being only necessary for the wearer to slip her arms through the armholes 0f the device to bring the back portions in position on the wearers back, and then the front flaps F F are drawn forward and connected with each other by the fastening de vice F after which the girdle-bands G G are fastened together by the fastening devices H. The skirts can now be placed in position and connected with the fastening devices J J to hold the skirts in place, and the hose-supporter is connected with the flap G to supportthe hose from the connected bands G G, the hose-supporter having a tendency to hold the overlapping ends close to the body and to prevent upward slipping of the bands.

The device described supports the breasts and abdomen in an easy natural position in such a manner that the muscles destined to carry the weight of these parts of the body are left free to exercise their functions, and thereby flabby accumulation of fat is prevented and firm healthy flesh can be developed and at the same time the natural size and shape of the waist and trunk of the body are maintained. By using the shoulder-bones and hi p-bones as the points of support for the device the lungs, stomach, intestines, and other vital organs of the wearers body are left free to perform their proper natural functions, thus promoting the health, comfort, grace, and beauty of the wearer.

Both the waist and girdle may be provided with the stays B and the lacing 0, extending down the spine of the wearer; but both may be omitted, if desired, and the back portions and the girdle formed of a single piece, and more stays may be used in the back portions A A of the waist and in the girdle, if deemed necessary, to form a strong support for the back of the wearer.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A body-garment comprising a waist, and a girdle secured to the waist at the back portions and extending from the same forwardly and downwardly, to connect the free ends with each other at the lower front; portion of the abdomen, as set forth.

2.- A body-garment comprising a waist having shoulder-straps for supporting the waist from the wearers shoulders, said waist portion extending down to the natural bend in the body of the wearer, and a girdle secured at its upper edge to the waist at the lower ends of the back portions of the waist, the girdle extending over the hip-bones in a downward and forward direction, for the free ends of the girdle to connect with each other at the lower front portion of the abdomen, as set forth. 7

3. A body-garment comprising an abdominal girdle and a waist, the latter having laced back portions, arm-gores extending from the back portions,frontfiaps having bust-pockets, shoulder-straps for integrally connecting the front flaps with the back portions, the said girdle consisting of bands secured at their rear ends to the lower ends of the said back portions, the bands extending forwardly and downwardly from the back portions, and fastening devices on said bands at the point where they cross the hips of the wearer for securing garments to, as set forth.

at. A body-garment comprising an abdominal girdle, and a waist, the latter havinglaced back portions, arm-gores extending from the back portions,front flaps having bust-pockets, and shoulder-straps for integrally connecting the front flaps with the back portions, the said girdle consisting of bands secured at the top edges of their rear ends to the lower ends of the said back portions, with the lower edges of said rear ends of the bands overhanging the hips of the wearer the bands extending forwardly and downwardly from the back portions, and fastening devices for the front free ends of the said bands, as set forth.

5. A body-garment comprising an abdominal girdle, and a waist, the latter having laced back portions, arm-gores extending from the back portions, front flaps having bust-pockets, and shoulder-straps for integrally connecting the front flaps with the back portions, and the said girdle consisting of bands secured at the top edges of their rear ends to the lower ends of the said back portions, the rear meeting ends of the bands forming a continuation of the laced back portions of the waist, the bands extending forwardly and downwardly from the back portions and the front end of the bands having a depending flap, for engagement by a hose-supporter, as set forth.

6. A body-garment comprising an abdominal girdle, and awaist, the latter havinglaced back portions, arm-gores extending from the back portions, front flaps having bust-pockets, and shoulder-straps for integrally connecting the front flaps with the back portions, the said girdle consisting of bands secured at their rear ends to the lower ends of the said back portions, the bands extending forwardly and downwardly from the back portions, a fastening device for connecting the front flaps of the waist with each other,

and a fastening device for the free front ends of the girdle-bands, as set forth.

7. A body-garment comprising an abdominal girdle, and a waist, the latter having laced back portions, arm-gores extending from the back portions, front flaps having bnstpockets, and shoulder-straps for integrally connecting the front flaps with the back portions, the said girdle consisting of bands secured at their rear ends to the lower ends of the said back portions, the bands extending forwardly and downwardly from the back portions and the rear ends of the girdle-bands being laced together, as set forth.

8. A body-garment comprising an abdominal girdle, and a waist, thelatter having laced back portions, arm-gores extending from the back portions, front flaps having bust-pockname to this specification in the presence of 30 two subscribing witnesses.

SOPHIE VISCHER.

Witnesses:

THEO. G. HOSTER, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL. 

